


Secrecy

by queenseamoose



Series: City of Chains [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-12
Updated: 2017-12-12
Packaged: 2019-02-13 21:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12992853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenseamoose/pseuds/queenseamoose
Summary: Prompt: Things you said that I wasn't meant to hearHe's keeping secrets from her, and she can't help but feel that she's losing him. Takes place prior to Justice.





	Secrecy

The bed was empty.

The further over she reached, all her fingers brushed against were empty sheets, and she finally sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The room itself was empty as well, the fire burning low on the hearth, and no sign of Anders.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she drew her robe over her shoulders and headed for the ajar door. “Anders?” she called softly into the empty hallway, but there was no reply. Wandering through the rest of the rooms turned up no trace of him either, but as she paused at the top of the stairs, she heard a faint murmur of voices.

Frowning to herself, she made her way down the staircase. As far as she knew, neither of them had been expecting any visitors. Had Varric or one of the others dropped by unannounced? As she entered the kitchen, the voices grew clearer—but she hesitated, ducking back around the doorframe. One was Anders–but the other was entirely unfamiliar.

“So we have a deal then,” it was saying, and Anders sighed.

“Yes, although I still say you’re robbing me blind,” he grumbled.

“Fair’s fair,” the visitor countered. “My grandfather smuggled that all the way from Tevinter.”

“And I’m  _sure_  you’ve had  _so_  many uses for it.”

The stranger snorted. “Right. Well, you enjoy yourself with that.” There was the creak of the back door’s hinges, and then a pause. “Oh, and if you need any other research copies in the future…don’t contact me.” And then the door slammed, followed by a heavy sigh from Anders.

With the stranger gone, she stepped around the corner into the kitchen. “Who was that?”

Anders jumped, and as he turned to face her, she saw him stuffing a stack of parchment into his robes.

“Oh! You’re up early. Should I make you a cup of tea?” He bustled over to the fireplace, and she followed, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I don’t  _want_  tea,” she said shortly. “Anders, who  _was_  that?”

He sighed as he prepared the water for boiling. “Nobody, Jules. No one important, anyway.”

“Stop,” she said, placing a hand over his as he reached for the tin of tea. “You’re  _lying_  to me.”

His eyes widened. “I’m not.” He took both her hands in his, his expression earnest. “It’s just something for a bit of research I’m working on at the clinic. But it is a Tevinter magical text, and the seller was nervous. That’s all.”

Her shoulders slumped, and she pulled her hands free to fold her arms back over her chest. “You could have just told me that.”

“I did.” He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I have to go to the clinic, but I have some time first. Let me make you your tea.”

She relented, leaning against the table as she watched him move about the kitchen, but somehow, she felt strangely sad. It was something she couldn’t quite put her finger on—maybe he was just a little too jumpy, or a little too distracted—although he was frequently both of these things. Besides, if the truth was really that simple, why had his first instinct been to hide it? And even as he handed her a steaming mug, she couldn’t quite shake the feeling that he was keeping something from her.


End file.
